Colombo Stars vs Dambulla Giants, LPL 2021, Today Match Prediction 11 December 2021

cls vs dha Match Prediction & Analysis

The Colombo Stars will have to get their campaign back on track as they play the Dambulla Giants in the 11th game of the Lanka Premier League 2021. The side suffered a crushing defeat against the Jaffna Kings in their last game and have to come out of this defeat. For the Dambulla Giants, it was a rain washout in their last game against the Galle Gladiators. 

The Colombo Stars have been miserable with the ball in the last two games where they have ended up conceding more than 400 runs. They had gone down against the Giants earlier and this would also be playing on their minds. It would be interesting to see if the side gets its acts together and turns it around in this game. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Colombo Stars Preview

Dhananjaya de Silva’s side had made a good start but since then have lost two games. They come here with a 93-run loss against the Jaffna Kings. Their bowling has been a problem in the last two games the side has played. Their opponents have a very strong batting line-up and de Silva would need his players to regain lost confidence and win this game to move up on the points table.  

The side has failed to find their perfect opening combination and shall expect runs from Kusal Perara and Tom Banton who haven’t scored so far. Sherfane Rutherford, Ashan Priyanjan, and Thikshila de Silva will have to score runs in the middle order and set a strong platform for the big-hitting trio of Dhananjaya de Silva, Dinesh Chandimal, and Keemo Paul to launch their attack towards the end. 

Their bowling has been poor in the last two games. Seekkuge Prasanna has done well but he would need support from Dushmantha Chameera with the new ball. Naveen-ul-Haq and Keemo Paul will have to bowl better lines in this game for the side to put up a challenge against the Giants. Thikshila de Silva and Priyanjan will have to fit into the role of a 5th bowler well in this contest.

Colombo Stars Predicted Playing XI:

Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Tom Banton, Kusal Perera (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Dinesh Chandimal, Ashan Priyanjan, Keemo Paul, Seekkuge Prasanna, Thikshila de Silva, Naveen-ul-Haq, Dushmantha Chameera

Colombo Stars Actual Playing XI:

Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, S Prasanna, Ashan Priyanjan, Ravi Rampaul, Naveen-ul-Haq, Sherfane Rutherford, Dushmantha Chameera, Dinesh Chandimal, Tom Banton, Jeffrey Vandersay

Dambulla Giants Preview

Dasun Shanaka’s side had to share the points with the Galle Gladiators in the last game after rains forced the game to be abandoned. They did put up a decent total on the board batting first and most of their batsmen got starts in the last game. They had defeated the Colombo Stars earlier and Shanaka would like to repeat it here and move up on the points table.

In Phillip Salt and Niroshan Dickwella, they have their openers in good form and they would look to exploit Colombo’s lack of form with the ball. Dilshan Munaweera, Sohaib Maqsood, and Najibullah Zadran have to build partnerships in the middle overs which hasn’t been the case so far. Shanaka and Ramesh Mendis have played well down the order in this tournament and this would add to their confidence. 

Nuwan Pradeep has not been in the best form and he would look to get his lengths right and grab early wickets along with Tharindu Ratnayake. Imran Tahir has lots of experience and he would look to make good use of the conditions. In Mendis,  Karunaratne, and Shanaka, the side does have good strength in its bowling attack.

Dambulla Giants Predicted Playing XI:

Dasun Shanaka (c), Philip Salt, Dilshan Munaweera, Sohaib Maqsood, Najibullah Zadran, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Imran Tahir, Nuwan Pradeep, Chamika Karunaratne, Tharindu Ratnayake, Ramesh Mendis

Dambulla Giants Actual Playing XI:

Niroshan Dickwella, Imran Tahir, Ramesh Mendis, Nuwan Pradeep, Dasun Shanaka, Phil Salt, Tharindu Ratnayake, Sachitha Jayathilake, Sohaib Maqsood, Najibullah Zadran, Chamika Karunaratne

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

There would be a thick cloud cover over the skies of Colombo on December 11. The batting surface has been good and the ball has come onto the bat nicely. Batsmen can play the ball on the up as bowlers don’t get much from the surface. The side batting first in the game would need 180 runs on the board to win this game.

Venue Details

R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo has been a happy hunting ground for the batsmen. The flat wicket coupled with fast outfield allows batsmen to score quick runs on this ground. Spinners have enjoyed the conditions here as they get good rewards from this pitch but it is a very difficult venue for the fast bowlers with little on this surface for them.

Toss: To Bowl

The weather conditions are expected to be cloudy and we might see showers during the game. Most teams have preferred to chase scores in evening games as bowling second is a challenge. The side winning the toss shouldn’t have much hesitation in opting to bowl first in the game.